Work on the prestigious project covering villages of Colva, Benaulim, Varca, Orlim, Carmona and Cavelossim in Benaulim constituency for a length of 159 km will get underway on Tuesday coinciding with the birthday of Local MLA Caitu Silva. Executive Engineer Santosh Lolienkar said the high tension network along the coastal belt has been facing frequent power failures due to oxidation of aluminium conductors leading to voltage drop and snapping of conductors. The belt also faces frequent power interruptions due to lightning, stormy weather conditions, uprooting of trees and broken branches. “The existing distribution transformer centres feeding LT network are in a dilapidated condition due to saline weather necessitating frequent maintenance. The present 11-KV THT overhead network feeders are lengthy and are passing through coconut grove plantation areas and tend to breakdown, snapping of lines due to uprooting of trees, stormy winds, failure of insulators due to lightning affecting the belt. The underground power cabling project will overcome all these problems when completed”, Lolienkar said.
He said the reliability of the power supply will be greatly enhanced on completion of the project and will reduce the time period for restoration of supply due to its ring arrangement system.
Meanwhile, the Benaulium MLA will launch road works in Benaulim constituency to the tune of Rs 170 crore, including widening of Margao-Colva road by 25 meters, the Betalbatim-Cavelossim road by 15 meters, besides the Khareband-St Sebastian road and other roads. The government has issued work orders for these works and the contractor is expected to commence work from tomorrow. The MLA will also launched work on 1000 cubic meters overhead water reservoirs in some villages.
